Sermon Tone Analysis

Me

This week we read Parasha Yitro (Exodus 18:1-20:23), which begins with Moses’ reunion with his father-in-law Yitro or Jethro in English, as well as his wife Zipporah and sons Gershom and Eliezer.

Exodus tells us that Yitro came to Moses because he heard all that Adonai had done for Israel.

This is followed by Yitro proclaiming Adonai the true and only God of all creation, and this is what the rabbis call his conversion experience.

Next, still in chapter 18, Moses is serving as judge for all of Israel, hearing every issue and problem that is brought before him from morning to evening and Yitro witnesses this and gives him leadership advice as how better to serve B’nei Yisrael.

In chapter 19 we see Adonai reveal to Moses his plan to reveal His Shechinah to all of Israel in a tangible way and through this encounter all B’nei Yisrael will hear His Bat Kol, His divine voice, along with the instructions to be followed for this encounter.

Lastly, and potentially most importantly, we read in chapter 20 the revelation of the Aseret HaDibrot, the Ten Words, which all of Israel heard spoken forth directly from the Bat Kol.

This is then followed by Israel’s rejection of hearing HaShem directly again because they were overcome with fear of His Voice.

— (Talk about being called to a table and asked if I was Orthodox, then told they could tell there was something different about you.)

We

— Connect to the crowd’s testimony

God

I want to look at a specific part of Parasha Yitro that I hope is both encouraging and eye opening to us all this Shabbat.

As we get ready to dive into the text I want to share a principle that we should keep in mind...

The word of our testimony is one of the most powerful resources we have to impact the world with the Good News of Messiah.

(Repeat)

So let’s dig into the word together…

(Setup Yitro)

Parasha Yitro

Parasha Yitro

(Talk about testimony of Moses and Israel’s experience by God’s power allowed a transformation of heart in Yitro.)

(Talk about Yitro’s being a pagan priest of Midian, hearing Israel’s testimony, then declaring HaShem the one and only true G-d.

Object lesson for Israel to become a nation of priests leading to Aseret HaDibrot.)

Parasha Yitro

Parasha Yitro

The word of our testimony is one of the most powerful resources we have to impact the world with the Good News of Messiah.

Parasha Yitro

(Setup Daniel 6, Lion’s Den.

Daniel’s testimony was strong and the other satraps were jealous of the influence God gave him.

Despite law saying for 30 days citizens could only pray to Darius, Daniel still prayed to HaShem facing J’lem three times a day.)

(King Darius begrudgingly threw Daniel in Lion’s Den)

Parasha Yitro

Parasha Yitro

The word of our testimony is one of the most powerful resources we have to impact the world with the Good News of Messiah.

Parasha Yitro

Parasha Yitro

Parasha Yitro

Parasha Yitro

Parasha Yitro

The word of our testimony is one of the most powerful resources we have to impact the world with the Good News of Messiah.

Parasha Yitro

You

(Call worship team back up to the stage.)

— What is your testimony saying about Yeshua?

We

— Close